PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Alexandra Borbély, actress of the film On Body and Soul.

To listen to the interview, click on the ► icon on the right, just above the picture

Fred’s Chiara Nicoletti meets Alexandra Borbély, the hypnotic protagonist of On Body and Soul by Ildiko Enyedi, in competition at the 67th Berlinale. “Maria is a lovely weirdo” says Alexandra, who got so involved in this role that she learned how to be Maria, how to embody her rationality, her curiosity, her weaknesses and her ability of loving a man in the purest way possible. Love is recognizing each other’s essence and Alexandra learned a lot from her character. Her performance is the most astonishing we’ve seen so far at this year’s Berlinale, so intense that a Silver Bear would be more than appropriate.

On Body and Soul: the director of an industrial slaughterhouse is suspicious about Maria, the new quality inspector sent by the authorities. Endre thinks she’s pretty, but she’s too formal and keeps too much to herself. He also thinks she’s too tough on grading the beef carcass, but Maria sticks to her standards with the same focused order she tries to run her life. During routine company interviews, a lady psychologist discovers that Maria and Endre are having similar recurring dreams. They are embarrassed by what this implies, as the two introverts know nothing about one another outside of work. The following day, they check again: they had the exact same dream the night before. As they continue to compare dreams, it becomes clear that they meet each night in a common realm: a peaceful snowy forest where they are graceful deer who gently love each other. Maria and Endre hesistantly accept this strange coincidence. They cannot ignore the intimacy they share so effortlessly in their dreams. For two people seemingly not suitable at all for love, it won’t be easy to recreate in broad daylight this harmonious relationship of their lonely nights…